Method of assembling a heat exchanger rotor



Oct. 26, 1965 i D. A. COBB 3,213,526

METHOD OF ASSEMBLINQ A HEAT EXCHANGER ROTOR Filed NOV. 15, 1961 United States Patent 3,213,526 METHOD OF ASSEMBLING A HEAT EXCHANGER ROTOR David A. Cobb, Hazelcrest, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 152,500 4 Claims. (Cl. 29157.3)

This invention relates to the construction of a rotatable rigid drum for a rotary heat exchanger. More in particular this invention relates to the construction of a rotatable heat exchanger drum wherein the matrix may be secured with formed sheet metal parts in welded relation.

In the prior art the matrix plates or elements of a rotatable heat exchanger drum are usually secured to a cage. These cages usually comprise a pair of machined annular rings secured in axial spaced relation by a plurality of longitudinally extending machined spacer bars. After positioning the matrix elements the spacer bars and annular rings are secured rigidly together by screws and the like. The cost of these machined parts and securing means therefor together wit-h the labor time required for assembly is very expensive. In order to reduce substantially the cost of constructing a rotary heat exchanger drum, this invention contemplates employing formed sheet metal parts in the manner hereinafter described which when spot welded, such as brazing, forms a rigid drum structure. It is therefore a prime object of this invention to provide a rotatable drum construction for a heat exchanger employing annular elements connected together and secured to the matrix in rigid relation.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a drum construction according to the preceding object wherein the annular elements may be constructed of pre-formed sheet metal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of assembly for constructing a drum according to the preceding objects.

These and other desirable and important objects inherent in and encompassed by the invention will be more readily understood from the ensuing description, the appended claims and the annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top view, partly broken away and partly in section illustrating the assembled rotary heat exchanger drum of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing construction details of the assembled drum;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view, partly in section and partly broken away, illustrating the arrangement of the elements in assembled form but omitting the matrix; and

FIGURE 4 is a side view, partly broken away of a matrix plate showing the grooves therein positioned to receive the annular elements.

With continued reference to the drawings the rotary drum construction of this invention is indicated generally by the numeral including a series of plates or matrix elements 11 positioned side-by-side in circumferentially spaced relation as is evident from FIGURES 1 and 2. This permits fluid flow through the matrix in a radial direction but not in a circumferential direction. The matrix elements 11 per se are conventional as a heat exchange media except for certain cut-away portions or grooves necessary for the construction and assembly of the drum of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3 it will be seen that there is provided four annular rings 12, 13, 14- and 15, each of L-shaped cross-section. The inner rings 12 and are of lesser diameter than the outer rings 13 and 14. Rings 12 and 13 are disposed in concentric relation and the rings 14 and 15 likewise. Ring 12 is positioned in axial spaced relation with respect to ring 15. Similarly ring 13 is positioned in axial spaced relation with respect to ring 14 as shown.

An upper closure member 16 is provided having an annular face portion 16' with downwardly extending flanges 18 and 19. A lower closure member 17 is also provided and positioned in axially spaced opposed relation with respect to the upper closure member 16 as shown. The lower closure member 17 is provided with upwardly extending flanges 20' and 21 integrally connected to the annular face portion 17 as best shown in FIGURE 3. The lower closure member 17 is also provided with an annular shaped recess 22 having a rectangular cross-section. The purpose of the recess 22 is to accommodate a ring gear 23 having outwardly extending teeth 23. The ring gear 23 is secured rigidly to the lower closure member 17 by conventional means. such as by press-fitting, welding or brazing. The gear 23 is for driving rotatably the drum 10' under power in a conventional manner.

At this point it will be observed that the annular rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 as well as the closure members 16 and 17 may be formed from sheet metal in a conventional manner such as by punch and die means which is an important feature of this invention as the cost thereof is relatively inexpensive when compared with machined drum cages heretofore known.

The individual elements 11 comprising the matrix are flat plates as may be evident from the drawings. Flat plates as a heat exchange media for drums of rotary heat exchangers disposed in the manner shown in the drawings herein are per se known as previously mentioned. The only departure herein is that the upper and lower end portions must be provided with specific cut-aways or grooves for receiving the rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 as evident from FIGURE 2. Referring to FIGURE 4 each matrix plate 11 is originally of rectangular shape as shown in full and dotted lines. The dotted position is removed, such as by a punching operation, to form grooves 32 and 33 as shown which permits reception of rings 12 and 13, respectively, and flanges 18 and 19, respectively, of the upper closure member 16 as shown best in FIGURE 2. In a similar manner the lower end portion of each matrix element 11 is grooved to receive rings 14 and 15 and the flanges 21 and 20, respectively as shown in FIGURE 2. Of course it should be understood that other types of conventional matrices may be employed as well as the type of matrix describe-d herein such as a wire mesh matrix.

The method of assembling the drum 113' employing the above described components will now be described.

First the rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 are positioned in the relation to each other as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. This is accomplished by means of a suitable clamping fixture (not shown). There are numerous means known in the art for accomplishing this and hence unnecessary to describe any here.

Next .the matrix elements 11 are inserted, one by one, and shifted circumferentially to pack them in side-byside contiguous relation until the required number of plates 11 have been inserted. When the plates 11 are thus packed contiguously there will be sutficient space to insert the final plate. Each plate 11 is inserted by revolving it perhaps on its vertical axis and placing it between rings 14 and 15 and between rings 12 and 13. Thereafter the plate is rotated about its vertical axis until positioned as shown in FIGURE 2. Alternately, One or more of the rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 may be split to permit insertion of the plates 11 and after all plates 11 have been inserted the ring or rings are welded to unite the split.

After all of the required number of matrix elements 11 have been inserted as described above, the elements 11 are circumferentially spaced apart uniformly as evident from FIGURES l and 2. One way of spacing the elements 11 uniformly is to insert a spacer plate between each pair of matrix elements 11 and temporarily leaving them inserted.

Next each matrix element 11 is welded to at least one of the rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 to prevent circumferential shifting during operational use of the drum 1%. As shown in FIGURE 2 each matrix element 11 is spot welded to each of the four rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 at 28, 29, 30 and 31 respectively as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Thereafter the spacer plates and fixtures employed for circumferentially spacing uniformly the matrix elements 11 and positioning of the rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 are removed.

The upper closure member 16 is then positioned so that by axial movement thereof the flanges 18 and 1) slide over the rings 12 and 13, respectively to the position shown in FIGURE 2. In a similar manner the closure member 17 with its affixed ring gear 23 is positioned so that by axial movement thereof the flanges 2d and 21 slide over the rings 15 and 14, respectively, to the positions shown in FIGURE 2. Thereafter the rings 12, 13, 14 and 15 are spot welded to the members 16 and 17 at 24, 25, 27 and 26, respectively, as shown in FIG- URE 2. Thus the closure members 16 and 17, rings 12, 13, 14 and 15, and matrix elements 11 are secured together in rigid relation to form the drum 19.

From the foregoing it can be seen all of the components except the ring gear comprising the drum 11 may be fabricated from sheet metal cut and preformed by means of conventional punch and die operations, and forming operations. The preformed components are then assembled in accordance with that described herein to form the drum Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention it can now be seen that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved and it must be understood that changes and modifications may be made which do not depart from the spirit of the invention nor from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of assembling an integrally connected cylindrically shaped unitary structure rotary drum for a heat exchanger comprising the steps of inserting a plurality of radially grooved matrix elements between and abutting a pair of concentrically disposed annular upper rings of L-shaped cross-section and between and abutting to a pair of concentrically disposed annular lower rings of L-shaped cross-secti0n positioned in axially spaced relation with respect to said upper rings, uniformly distributing said matrix elements in side-by-side circumferentially spaced relation, welding said elements to at least one of said rings for preventing circumferential movement of said elements with respect to each other, applying an annular shaped upper closure member having axially extending flanges over said upper rings in concentric relation, applying an annular shaped lower closure member having axially extending flanges over said lower rings in concentric relation, and welding said closure members respectively to said rings whereby a rigid drum structure is formed.

2. The method of assembling an integrally connected cylindrically shaped unitary structure rotary drum for a heat exchanger comprising the steps of inserting a plurality of radially grooved matrix elements between and abutting to a pair of concentrically disposed annular upper rings and between a pair of concentrically disposed annular lower rings positioned in axially spaced relation with respect to said upper rings, uniformly distributing said matrix elements in side-by-side relation in circumferentially spaced relation, welding said matrix elements to each of said rings in secured relation for preventing circumferential movement of said elements with respect to each other, applying an annular shaped upper closure member having axially extending flanges over said upper rings in concentric relation, applying an annular shaped lower closure member having axially extending flanges over said lower rings in concentric relation, and welding said closure members to said rings whereby a rigid drum structure is formed.

3. The method of assembling an integrally connected cylindrically shaped unitary structure rotary drum for a heat exchanger consisting of the steps of (a) inserting a plurality of upper and lower radially grooved matrix elements between and abutting to a pair of concentrically disposed annular upper rings of L-shaped cross-section, said upper grooves forming recesses positioned adjacent one end of each of said elements for reception of said upper rings,

(b) and simultaneously inserting said plurality of radially grooved matrix elements between and abutting to a pair of concentrically disposed annular lower rings of L-shaped cross-section, said lower grooves forming recesses positioned adjacent the other end of each of said elements for reception of said lower rings,

(c) said lower rings being positioned in axially spaced relation with respect to said upper rings,

((1) uniformly distributing said matrix elements in sideby-side circumferentially spaced relation,

(e) welding each of said matrix elements to at least one of said rings in secured relation,

(f) applying an annular shaped upper closure member having axially extending flanges over said upper rings in concentric relation,

(g) applying an annular shaped lower closure member having axially extending flanges over said lower rings in concentric relation.

(h) welding said closure members respectively to said rings in secured relation,

(i) and securing a ring gear to one of said closure members in drive relation thereto whereby a rigid drivenly rotatable drum structure is formed.

4. The method of assembling an integrally connected cylindrically shaped unitary structure rotary drum for a heat exchanger consisting of the steps of (a) inserting a plurality of upper radially grooved matrix elements between and abutting to a pair of concentrically disposed annular upper rings of L- shaped cross-section, said upper grooves forming recesses positioned adjacent one end of each of said elements for reception of said upper rings,

(b) and simultaneously inserting said plurality of elements having lower radial grooves between and abutting to a pair of concentrically disposed annular lower rings of L-shaped cross-section, said lower grooves forming recesses positioned adjacent the other end of each of said elements for reception of said lower rings,

(c) said lower rings being positioned in axially spaced relation with respect to said upper rings,

(d) uniformly distributing said matrix elements in side-by-side circumferentially spaced relation,

(e) welding each of said matrix elements to each of said rings in rigid secured relation,

(f) applying an annular shaped upper closure member having axially extending flanges over said upper rings in concentric relation,

(g) applying an annular shaped lower closure member having axially extending flanges over said lower rings in concentric relation,

(h) welding said closure members respectively to said rings in rigid secured relation,

(i) and securing a ring gear to one of said closure 2,628,419 2/53 Wilken 29156.8 members in drive relation thereto 2,909,363 10/59 Kolthoff et a1 165-9 whereby a rigid drivenly rotatable drum structure is 2,937,010 5/60 Collman et a1 165--10 formed. 2,963,779 12/60 Mosgard-Jensen 29-157.3 3,014,703 12/61 Jones 165-9 Ref r n Cited y the n r 5 3,083,762 4/63 Kolthoff et a1. 165-8 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 1,603,026 10/26 Cook 1657 X 551 112 12 57 Canada. 1,700,017 1/29 Bender 230134.5 1,2113%: 21/2? goirilsfeldt 165-7 10 WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Ex mi er- 2, oi an. 2 5 2 51 4 52 BeI-anek 29 15 FREDERICK KETTERER, Exammer- 

1. THE METHOD OF ASSEMBLING AN INTEGRALLY CONNECTED CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED UNITARY STRUCTURE ROTARY DRUM FOR A HEAT EXCHANGE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF INSERTING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY GROOVED MATRIX ELEMENTS BETWEEN AND ABUTTING A PAIR OF CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED ANNULAR UPPER RINGS OF L-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION AND BETWEEN AND ABUTTING TO A PAIR OF CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED ANNULAR LOWER RINGS OF L-SHAPED CORSS-SECTION POSITIONED IN AXIALLY SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPPER RINGS, UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTING SAID MATRIX ELEMENTS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RELATION, WELDING SAID ELEMENTS TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID RINGS FOR PREVENTING CIRCUMFERENTIAL MOVEMENT OF 